Glacier National Park

The glaciers are melting in Glacier National Park and the largest are anticipated to disappear by 2030. I wanted to see one in the park before they were gone, so I set out to dive Lake McDonald, where I learned about the park history and saw more than I anticipated.

Glacier National Park

I never know what the waters will hold for me on each dive. This day, I was thrilled upon my first descent. The water seemed quite clear, though the locals thought it was at its poorest visibility. I found the teal color of the water inspiring and will definitely return.

The last remaining group of tools in Lake McDonald, visitors have mysteriously taken artifacts from the lake. I felt lucky to see this last group of tools and hope that all new visitors leave what remains for all to enjoy.

Headed up the valley, I wondered why the Going to the Sun Road is so named. Then, the road suddenly came to a turn and I quickly drove upwards toward the peak. Then, I had the opportunity to hike, straight up to the sun.

More named for the mountains being carved by large glaciers, than remaining glaciers, you can still see year-round glacier snow covering mountains. Here, the clouds mirror the cool water, like a glacier all unto themselves.

This mountain goat followed me back down from the peak of the mountain. Nearing the end of day, the goats head downward to stay warm during the night. This particular goat was also marked by a large tracking collar.

During the summer Glacier National Park is largely green and warm, but patches of snow are still remarkable. I hiked across three sections of snow to get to the overlook at Logan Pass and across one very cold stream of melted snow.

Sadly, I often can only stay a very short while in all the places I visit. I had a hard time parting Glacier National Park, especially since the setting sun started to really change the landscape. My favorite time to take photos is at sunset.